Travel plans

Ever see an ad and decide to check it out? I did just now.

I wanted to be in Antarctica this year but since Dad was diagnosed with metastatic cancer, I realize that's not an option. I still want to travel and one of the places I've dreamed of visiting since I was 8 years old is Egypt. The ad said round trip to Egypt for $322. I knew it wouldn't be that low, but I still wanted to know.

The only time to travel to Egypt is in the winter here because it's cooler there, too. That's when most of the archaeological digs have taken place and when Amelia Peabody and her family have had their greatest adventures, and where Amelia met and married her husband. I'm not interested in getting married, although I have carried on a long correspondence with a retired officer of the Egyptian army, one of whose sons is a diplomat, and who came to visit me on his way to visit his other son who lives in California. For his age (for any age), he is a well spoken and good looking man who speaks English very well and whose manners are impeccable. He offered to fly me to Egypt to visit him and meet his family but I declined. I prefer to make my own plans and pay my own way, although generous offer was quite intoxicating. I haven't thought of Egypt again until I saw that ad this morning.

Anyway, I discovered it would cost about $800 to fly to Egypt and back for 10 days and the dates in December I would be able to go are open. I might even be able to finagle a discount of sorts if I work it right and I did want to travel this year. India is definitely not an option because of the time I have available and the plane changes, etc., but Egypt is a possibility. I would still want to stay in a hotel and not take my gentleman friend up on his offer of staying with him at his estate or with his family for the same reason I'm driving to Ohio next month--I prefer not to rely on anyone for transportation or accommodations. Never know when I might have to leave early or want to go somewhere not on the official itinerary. Or I might just want to take a drive or meet with a friend or two for a private afternoon.

All this does give me something to think about. It would take about 26 hours to get to Egypt by way of Chicago and London, with layovers in both cities, but it just might be doable.

Egypt. Pyramids. Valley of the Kings. Valley of the Queens. Luxor. Abu Simbel. Cairo. Boat trips down the Nile on a pleasure cruise.

Yes, it is definitely doable.

That is all. Disperse and make your own travel plans.